Game apparatus



E. D. GRAY GAIE APPARATUS Filed Hay"12, 19 24 2 Sheets-Shut 2 ATTORNEY v IN V EN TOR.

Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT-f F EUGENE n. GRAY-.013 HARRISON, MAINE.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed May .12,

tain new and useful Improvements in Game- Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvemen'tsrein game apparatus, and the nature and obj ects of the invention will be readily recognized and understood by those skilled int-he .art to which itrelates inthe light of the following explanation and detailed description of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I at.pr esent consider to be the preferred embodiments or mechanical expressions of the invention from among various other form s, arrangements, combinations, and constructions of which the invention is capable within the spirit and scope thereof. 1 a

More particularly the invention is directed to games of skill of the general type in which a series of balls are employed with and on a table or base havingpockets or receptacles into which the balls are to be propelled in playing the game; and one of the main and fundamental aims of the present invention is the creation of a game'of this type in which a high degree of skill is required and which is of an interesting and entertaining character, and yet will permit andbe adapted for playing with equal fair-" ness and opportunity by. all persons without undue handicap because of differences in a or strength.

A further aim and object of the invention is to create a game of skill. using a board or table 1 having pockets or receptacles therein and a series ofiballs to be propelled into such pockets, in which .one of the requirements of the game is to strike and propel from av fixed point on the board or table, one of the series of balls while the same is moving past such point, and-to propel and direct the ball into one of the pockets, certain of which have greater scoring values than others, past obstructions or hazards established on the boardor table between the point of propelling the ball and the pockets. i i

Another object of the invention isto provide game apparatus of the type employing a table having pockets or receptacles therein, and balls for propelling into such 1924. sci-131' no. #12392.

pockets, with a propelling cue mounted on the board andobstructions betweenthe propelling cue and the pockets which will form a restricted passage for the balls, so as to; require a playerto exercise skill in the accuracywith which he strikes a ball in order to direct the same through this passage and into the pockets. v

.yAn-other object of the invention is to. pro vide a game apparatusin which aball is propelled -over a :board or table having pockets or. receptaclestherein and a propolling cue mounted on the table for striking the balls, with an arrangement for mov ing the'balls consecutively gpast theicue in such"ajmanner that a player must strike a ball while movingand is required to accurately-time and judge the movement of the ball to successfully propel and direct. the same asdesired.

' A further object ofrthe invention is to provide a novel and entertaining game em- 'iloying a table or board'having pockets and aseries of balls for use thereon, and to further provide an efficient and simple apparatusfor playing the game.

. lVith the foregoing. general objects and certain other objects and. results in view, which other objects and results will appear and be readily recognized from the following en'planatiomthe invention consists in certain novel features in game playing, and in construction, arrangements and combinations of. elements of game apparatus, as will be more fully and particularly referred to and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters desi nate corresponding elementsz.

Fig. l is a top: plan view of game apparatus embodying my invention and adapted for playing the game in accordance there WltlL -1: I

1l lig 2, is a longitudinal vertical section lhrough'the game'apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3; is a transverse sectionon the line s e or Fig. 1.

, Fig. a transverse l-:: c of'F-ig. l. Y

The mechanical expression and embodi- 1ne111t;-oftl1e inventionillustrated in the acsection on the line companying drawings and described here" ble form ywhiclr the game apparatus may 1 take, in order to explain the various princip les and features of the game and apparatus for playing the same and enable those skilled It will apparatus to carry out the principles and features of operation and play can be mechanically expressed in a variety of other ways than in the example shown, and the in vention so contemplates and includes the same. within the scope of the invention.

According to the invention as expressed and presented by the illustrated example, a. game board or table is provided which includes an upper fiat-430p Wall forming a playing surface 10, a lower base forming wall 11 spacedfrom wall 10, and endand side walls 12 and 1%, respectively. The upper walllOl terminates at- "the opposite ends thereof spaced a. distance from andshort of the opposite end walls 12, respectively of the board, so as to form openings at the opposite ends of the board into the space between the upper wall 10 and bottom or base wall 11. At one end, the playing end, of the upper playing surface forming-wall 10 a transverse upwardly extending walll15 is mounted (see Figs. 1 and l and the Side walls It and opposite end wall 12 of the game board are extended a distance upwardly above the playing surface so as to form a complete inclosure with the end wall 15, for the playing surface. The opposite side wallsld of the game board at the operating or playing end thereof are cut away between the end of upper wall 10 and end wall 15 thereof and the adjacent end wall 12 of the board, to form the continuations ll of the side walls 14 which terminate at their upper edges in substantially the plane of the upper wall 10. (See Fig. 2 particularly.)

The lower or baseaformin g-wall 11 is inclined longitudinally of the board downwardly toward the operating or playing end thereof, defined by the end wall 15 of the playing surface 10, from the opposite end wall 12, and the space between the lower or base wall 11 and upper wall 10 is. divided into a series of longitudinal, inclined runways or passages 16 by a series ofsubstantially parallel dividing walls or partitions 17 extending between the upper and lower walls 10 and 11 and the opposite end walls 12 of the board. These inclined runways or passages 16 extend from end to end of the game board and are exposed at their opposite ends, due to the termination of the up per wall or playing surface 10 spaced from the end walls 12, to form a series of pockets 18 opposite the operating end of the play-' ing surface, and a series of open receptacles 19 at the operating or playing end of the board. In the present example, ten partitions 17 are used to form eleven runways or passages 16 extending between and in COl1lmunicationwvith. the eleven pockets 1 8 and receptacles 19, respectively, formed thereby, and due to the inclination of the lower or basewall 11 of the game board these passages slope or are-inclined downwardly from the pockets 18 to the open receptacles 19. The foregoing formation and arrangement of a game board of the invention is clearly; shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. 1 f

-The upper wall 10 forming the playing surface of the game board is divided trans- Verselyby awall 20 into a ball inclosure A, and the inclosure B having the pockets 18 at one end thereof. T his inclosure B of the playing surface provides that portion in which the balls are propelled and directed from the operating end thereof to the pocle ets 18. Obstructions or hazards are formed. on the playingsurface- 1O within the inclosure B between the playing end thereof and the pockets 18. In the example illus trated, these obstructions are formed by walls 21 prov1d1ng opposite wings extend- .ing diagonally from opposite side walls Lt adjacent the pockets 18, inwardly toward the playing end. of the inclosure and terminating spaced apart adjacent and spaced from the wall 15 to form. an opening or passage 22.clisposed centrally of the playing surface 10. The openin 22 is increased in width by undercutting a portion of each end of the wallsQLto form the openings or passages therethrough, respectively, as shown particularly by 2 of the drawings.

vMechanism for propelling and directing balls over the playing surfzice in enclosure B, toward the pockets 18 is provided in the the ball enclosure A at the playing end of the game board, and embodies a spring actuated one or the like striking member 24. The'cue 2a, in the present instance, is slidably mounted and disposed longitudinally .of the game board, in a bearing 2:) on the upper wall 10 within enclosure A. andis extended forwardly through a suitable bore formed in. wall 20 and a distance into enelosure B; I The one 24: so mounted is disposed'centrallyof the upper wall. 10 in substantial alinement with the passage 22 through and between the obstructions formed by the wings 21. At the outer end the cue 2-4 is-formed with a depending guide and stop member 26 slidably mounted in a slot, groove or the like 27 formed through the upper wall 10, and an upwardly extending handle forniing portion 28 for mai'iually actuating the cue. Retractile coil propelling springs 29 are coupled. between opposite sides of the guide 26 of the cue and a portion of the wall 20, and these springs in normal retracted position maintain the cue 24 in forward'position extended into enclosure B. Vithin the enclosure B alongthe-wall 20 at one side of the one 24, an inclined ball guideway or runway 30 is mounted in position to roll a ball therefrom transversely of the enclosure Buacross and in front of one 24;,Zfor a purpose appearing hereinafter.

The invention provides a series of twelve balls C (see Fig. 1) which are numbered in p b )9 and and are preferably placed before each player commences play, Within the enclosure B, in the wall 10 of which suitable depressions, cups or ball retainers 31 (see Fig. 4;) can be provided if desired, althoughthe in-vention is not limited to the foregoing placement of the balls C, as will be apparent. The open receptacles 19 formed by the passages 16 at the playing end of the game board and corresponding and in communication with the series of pockets 18, respectively, at the opposite end of the board, are numbered consecutively from the outer opposite sides of the board, (2), 1), (6), (8), and (10), with the central receptacle numbered (12), as will be clear upon reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings. It will be clear that, if found expedient for purposes of identification, the pockets 18 can be numbered corresponding to the numbers of receptacles 19, respectively, and further that other numbers or identifying symbols and arrangements thereof for pockets 18 and receptacles 19, can be used.

The game of the invention utilizing the game board as described'hereinbefore, can be played by any desired number of players, each in turn propelling or projecting the series of balls G into the pockets 18 by means of the one 24. The balls C are placed in the enclosure A on the upper wall 10 of the game board and a player draws or pulls the cue 524 back against the tension of springs 29 until the tip of the one is removed from across the end of runway 30. The player then inserts one of theballs C in the inclined runway 30 and releases the same, so that the ball rolls dowmvardly therefrom onto surface 10 and across the end of one 24. As the ball passes cue 2-1 the player releases the one so as to strike and propel the ball through passage 22 between wings 21, and into one of the series of pockets 18. After entry into one of these pockets the ball rolls down the lIlCllllULi passage 16 thereof into the respective open receptacle 19 at the opposite end of the game board. Thus, it is seen that considerable skill is required in tuning the movement of a ball moving past the one 21, and in releasing the one so that the ball is accurately directed and propelled between the wings 22. If the ball is not properly hit by the one it will be propelled into one of the blind triangular spaces on either side of the wings 21 and will be counted against the player, as will be more fully ex-- plained hereafter, A player propels each of the series of balls C in theforegoing manner into the pockets 18, .fromwhich-they roll by gravity through inclined passagcs lfi into the respective receptacles 19,-and1;the score ofthe player is then computed.

After a player has shot or propelledtlre balls 10, the score is computed-in the following manner. Every ball in the receptacles 19 on which the number corresponds to thenumber of the receptacle, scores the sum of these numbers, that is,'if a'number (10) ball is in a number (10) receptacle, then (20) is scored; and every ball 'in'the receptacles on which the-numbers do not correspond to the receptacle numbers, then the number of the receptacle only is scored, that is, if a number (10) ball is in a number (2) pocket, then (2) only is scored by such ball. All balls which are left after play on the surface 10 between wings 21 have no scoringvalue, that is score zero, while all balls which are propelled into the blind triangular spaces on opposite sides of the,

wings 21 detract or lower the score the amount of the numbers thereon. It will be understood, of course, that various other scoring systems can be used without stepping beyonds the limits and bounds of the invention, and further that other methods of play other than the he'reinbefore de scribed preferred method, can be employed with the apparatus features of the invention.

From the foregoing, it is seen that a game of a highly amusing and entertaining nature is provided in which considerable skill in tuning and accuracy is re uired to prop erly strike and propel the balls with the cue from the determined point through the passage between the obstructions formed by the wings 21, and into the pockets. However, the operation of the apparatus and method "of play is sufliciently simple, and the skill required is such as to be within the ability of all average persons irrespective of age or strength, so that all persons can play the game on an equal basis and Without handicap.

Vhile the apparatus of the illustrated example, is in the form of a game board it is understood that the invention includes embodiment as a table or in other forms and any desired size, as may be desired or found expedient.

It is also evident that various other changes, variations, modifications and substitutions might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not desireto limit myself to the exact and specific disclosures hereof.

Desiring to protect my invention in the broadest manner legally possible, what I claim is:

1. In gameapparatus, a game board in i from said opposite end walls, respectively,

and aseries of longitudinally disposeddividing walls extending between said upper wall and base Wallto form a series of passages having their upper sides open at opposite ends of the board to form a series of pockets across one end and a series of open receptacles across the opposite end of the playing surface, said base .wall inclined downwardly from said series of pockets to said series of receptacles.

l 2. Ingame apparatus, a game board ineluding a playing surface having a series of pockets across one end thereof, a- SEILGS of open receptacles at the opposite end of the playing surface, and opposite'diagonal Walls extending inwardly across said playing sur-- face and spaced apart to fOlll'l'fi restricted passage between said. means and the said pockets. a i I Signed at Harrison, Maine, tl1is 7 day of May 1924.

EUGENE n. GRAY. 

